Harbury roads named after WW1 soldiers

Photograph at the David Wilson Homes Mercia - Oakfields development in Harbury near Leamington. '''Pictured with one of the road name signs are (l-r) Kate Auld (DWH Sales Advisor), Tim Lockley (Chairman of the Harbury Parish Council) and Chris Gibb (Harbury Parish Council) '''(Commissioned by Catherine Senior - Unsworth Sugden)''Photo by Mike Sewell.

Tributes have been paid to a number of soldiers from Harbury who fought in the First World War.

Each of the five roads at the Oakfields development in Harbury is named in honour of a man from the village who died fighting in the war as part of a larger First World War Memorial Trail project by Harbury Parish Council.

The project, led by Cllr Chris Gibb, researched the 34 men named on Harbury’s War Memorials and installed 20 plaques to mark where some of the men lived in the village before the war.

The five men honoured by the road names are:

Charles Bird – Bird Walk

Raymond Brooks – Brooks Drive

Stephen Hawtin – Hawtin End

Alfred Overs – Overs Grove

Frank Rainbow – Rainbow Crescent

Cllr Tim Lockley, Chairman of Harbury Parish Council, said: “Harbury Parish Council is pleased to have been able to work with David Wilson Homes to commemorate some of the men from the village who died during the First World War.

“In 2017 we undertook a local history project to find out more about each man listed on the village war memorial. Now, in this centenary year, these new road names will ensure that their sacrifice is never forgotten.”

John Fitzgerald, Managing Director at David Wilson Homes Mercia, said: “Harbury Parish Council’s WWI Memorial Trail is a fantastic way to remember those who sacrificed their life while fighting for their country and it is an honour to be a part of this project.

“It is important to us to promote the history of the local area around our developments wherever we can and we are pleased that these five men, alongside the others who gave their lives will be remembered for years to come.”

As well as naming the roads in tribute to the fallen soldiers, developer, David Wilson Homes Mercia, have also funded a noticeboard for Harbury Parish Council.

This is so that residents and visitors can be informed and learn of the men behind the road names and their stories. The noticeboard has been installed on Bush Heath Lane, where the development is situated.